ANI: In which I exclaim that I definitely don't own anyone featured in this piece of fanwork. All characters are depicted as legal age. I do not condone any sort of illegal behaviour. Bad children, don't follow the example of anything I write. Yeah. Anyways, this is my gift to the lovely SinnersLikeUs, in return for putting up with my incessant chatter about anything and everything. She's lovely, and starting a new project soon, please go look her up!
Shout Out: To SinnersLikeUs, again, except this time as my beta reader, because she read this through and told me exactly what was wrong with it and then fixed it.
Title: Firebird
Author: seinakyou
Pairings: GakuRin, others that have not yet been determined
Rating: T
Chapter One: Awakening
Gakupo sat in the corner, his sword propped up against the stool, hilt towards him in case he needed the blade. His fingers restlessly drummed the table in front of him, and the bar keep looks like he wants to run away, but forced himself to go up to the irate man and ask what he wants.
He started, before a polite smile slips onto his face. "Sake, please, if you have it." He responded smoothly, before turning his eyes away in a clear dismissal.
He's not sitting here because he wants to; he's sitting here because Kaito made him promise to meet him here at 8:00, just after sunset, so that they could celebrate the blue haired man's birthday.
A quick glance at the clock showed him the time. 9:10. He slowly closed his eyes, before exhaling loudly. He's going to wait for his drink, he decided, and if Kaito isn't here by then, Gakupo is out of here.
He got the drink a few seconds later, and sipped it, leaning back in his chair and keeping his eyes on the door. He tried to take his time drinking the alcohol, but all too soon, it's gone. He threw a few coins on the table out of his pocket before grabbing his sword and turning to walk away.
"Hey~!" Gakupo looked up to the ceiling, and then turned towards the source of the voice. Kaito is sprawled out on a table, his eyes blurred and a stupid grin on his face. "You're here, Gakkun! I thought you'd never show." He slurred, trying and failing to push himself up into a semblance of self control.
Gakupo restrained the urge to twitch at the stupid nickname before taking in the state of his obviously drunk best friend.
"Kaito," he began, trying to keep his voice calm, "I've been here since 8:00."
The drunk man shook his head emphatically, before finally succeeding in propping his chin up in his hands and stared up at the purple haired samurai like a lovesick schoolgirl. "Nuh-uh," he whines, "It's only 8:15 now!"
Gakupo sighed, before pulling up a chair and sitting down to face his friend. "Did you remember to change the clocks yet?" The blank look on his smashed companion's face is answer enough. Gakupo buried his head in his hands, disgruntled. "You know what, Kaito?" The man perked up at this name, a loving smile on his face. "It doesn't matter. Let's go celebrate." He turned towards his friend, a disapproving look on his face, "though it seems you've already begun."
Kaito giggled like a schoolchild before walking into a door frame and throwing up.
It's going to be a long night.
…
Gakupo could take the humiliation of having his hair braided - with friends like his, it happened frequently.
He could take the utter disgrace of being forced into make-up by his sister, whose last three suitors had already decided the green haired girl would never be a good bride.
But he could not take the mortification of what his best friend was trying to get him to do.
"Kaito," he said flatly, barely sparing him a glance, "I am not going in there."
"But Gakkun~" his friend wailed, jumping on his back so that the purple haired man staggered forwards in surprise. "It's for my birthday!"
"No," he said through gritted teeth, because Kaito was actually kind of heavy. "I am not going to do that. Not now, not ever."
Through the drunken haze, Kaito tried to think of a good argument. "But last year you forgot my birthday, and you said you'd do anything with me on my next one!" he settles with, whimpering his sorrow into his friend's left ear.
Gakupo stiffened, and Kaito could feel his victory approaching. "Please?" he wheedled, and then cheered when Gakupo muttered a rebellious "Fine." Gakupo tried to keep a hold of his dignity as he carries his drunk friend into a bordello.
Right before the door, he stopped, and looked back at his partner-in-battle. "Why a…" he cringed "cat-house, anyways?"
Kaito turned a sleepy smirk towards him, before trailing a finger down the man's chest. "Because," he crooned, "Gakkun needs to get laid."
Gakupo bit back an outraged scream.
…
Upon entering the building, Gakupo could only think one thing. I wonder how their fathers feel?
Kaito, a bit more sober since his best friend dropped him on the floor, lazily wrapped his arms around his friend.
"So…" he trailed off, "See anyone you like?" He winked.
Gakupo shuddered. "No. No, I don't. I don't want to be here." He's aware that his voice had just reached the petulant tone of a sulky child, but he's having a hard time caring. "Can we please go?"
Kaito grinned cheekily. "Nope! We're not leaving until morning!"
Gakupo pursed his lips in distaste. "But those poor girls…"
Kaito gave him an incredulous look. "Gakkun… it's their job. It's not like we're picking them up off the streets, these girls have unions and shit. Relax."
Gakupo snorted, both at the nickname and the argument. "Che."
Kaito grabbed his hand and pulled them both over to a lady sitting at a desk. The blue haired man gave the girl sitting there a once over, before his eyes got starry. "Kind lady," he purred, leaning on the desk in, what he assumed was a charming manner, "how do we go about choosing our business."
The aqua haired girl glanced up with a bored look before pushing his hand off the desk. "Well," she said, "I suppose you could ask me who I recommend for you." Kaito opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "Not me." She gave the downcast boy a quick look, before frowning. "For you… I'd say…" she suddenly blinked, and then she laughed. "Sorry, got ahead of myself. Girl or boy?" she asked cheerfully, mirth dancing in her eyes.
Kaito's jaw dropped. "I'm… you're… what?" he squeaked.
She put a hand over her mouth to cover her laughter, before raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm serious," she said, "I have to know!"
Kaito swallowed. "I… um…girl! he yelled, blushing. The girl nodded serenely, before turning to the back room.
"Luka!" she called, and a pretty pink haired girl came out. "Could you please show this man to…" she looked down at a ledger, "Um… Meiko-san's room, please?"
The girl bowed her head in assent before taking Kaito's hand and leading the blushing boy up the stairs. The girl at the desk then turned her gaze over to Gakupo. "How about you? Preference?"
Gakupo snorted, and muttered under his breath "Not to be here." The girl smiled reassuringly.
"Ah, a first timer?" He blushed and turned his head, but didn't say anything. "Don't worry, don't worry. Nothing here is illegal, it's just entertainment. Now," she persisted, "Preference?"
He screwed his eyes shut, then opened them a second later. "Girl."
"Hmmm…" she hummed, narrowing her eyes at him. "Anything specific?"
An image of yellow hair and a pretty smile flashed through his mind unbidden. Choking back the memory, he muttered, "Yellow. Yellow hair."
The girl beamed. "You're in luck! We have girl just like that, and she's not currently with a client." She turned to a back room again. "Hello? Anyone in there?"
It took a moment, but finally a red haired girl stormed out, scowling and crossing her arms. "The hell d'ya want, Miku?" She groaned, running a hand through mussed up ringlets.
Miku simply rolled her eyes. "Teto-chan," she chided gently, "We have a customer."
Teto turned and sneered at Gakupo, who blinked, alarmed. "Che. So what?" She grumbled, "You'd better have a reason for calling me out, I just finished my shift."
Miku gestured towards Gakupo, who stiffened. "Could you please escort this gentleman to Rin-chan's room, Teto-chan?"
She whipped her head back to the purple haired man, glaring. "Oh." She said flatly. "One of those."
"Teto-chan." Miku reprimanded sharply. "A first timer. I'm sure he has no clue what you mean."
She snorted. "Whatever." Teto turned to Gakupo, irritation still lacing her gaze. "Follow me, pretty boy," she said before turning and walking down a hall. Gakupo turned to Miku, trepidation in his gaze. She caught his eyes, and made a shooing gesture with her hands.
"Go on!" she said, "I swear, she's not going to do anything to you."
He turned and followed the red haired girl out of the room. Miku buried her head in her hands. "I hate this job," she muttered as the pink haired girl from before walked back into the room and kissed the top of her head. "Luka, it's your turn at the desk tomorrow," she said quietly before raising herself out of the chair and walking into the back room.
Inside the room was seven cots for all the girls when they weren't on duty. Currently, there were only two occupied. Haku was grimacing in her sleep, a nightmare, no doubt, and Neru was sitting up, leaning against the wall but still asleep. The room was silent, and Miku felt her eyes filling with tears.
"I'm sorry." She whispered to no one, before tiptoeing past the slumbering girls and collapsing onto a cot. She tried not to think about anything, but a few errant thoughts slipped through her consciousness as she toed the line between sleep and wakefulness.
I wonder, she mused sleepily, why I thought I recognized that guy?
ANII: Yeah, leaving you to wonder. I'll get the next out as soon as I can, and I sincerely hoped you enjoyed this!
~Seinakyou
